By FRANCO PANIZO
If getting consistent playing time is a prerequisite for making the U.S. World Cup team, Jose Francisco Torres has one less thing to worry about.
Torres started his eighth consecutive match for Pachuca in the club's 2-1 win over Indios de Ciudad Juarez. Torres did not get on the scoresheet in Pachuca's second consecutive victory, but he did go the distance in a victory that saw the club get closer to post-season play in the Mexican League.
Far from playing for any hardware, Jonathan Spector and West Ham United took a positive step towards avoiding relegation by pulling out a 2-2 draw against Everton at Goodison Park. Despite having a penalty kick saved by Tim Howard, West Ham averted a seventh straight loss by fighting from behind twice to earn its result. Spector started and played 90 minutes at left back.
There was also a pair of goals scored this weekend. Maurice Edu netted his second goal of the season, scoring the game-winner vs. Hamilton Academical, and Herculez Gomez continued his tear over Mexican club's defenses with another goal in a 1-1 draw against Morelia.
Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
England
PREMIERSHIP
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves, including a penalty kick stop, in Everton's 2-2 draw vs. West Ham United on Sunday.
- Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 25 minutes in Hull City 's 2-0 loss vs. Stoke City on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 2-1 win vs. Wigan Athletic on Sunday.
- Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in West Ham's 2-2 draw vs. Everton on Sunday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Aston Villa's 1-0 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
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Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 1-0 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
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Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made eight saves in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
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Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Aston Villa on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.
COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP
- Jay DeMerit did not dress in Watford's 1-1 draw vs. Preston North End on Saturday.
- Frank Simek dressed but did not play in Sheffield Wednesday's 1-1 draw vs. Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
- Kenny Cooper came off the bench and played 9 minutes in Plymouth Argyle's 2-1 win vs. Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
LEAGUE ONE
- Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Leyton Orient's 3-1 loss vs. Hartlepool United on Saturday.
- Jemal Johnson started and played 90 minutes in Stockport County's 1-0 win vs. Walsall on Saturday.
- Jon-Paul Pittman came off the bench and played 36 minutes in Wycombe Wanderers' 2-1 loss vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
- Mike Grella started and played 75 minutes in Leeds United's 3-0 loss vs. Swindon Town on Saturday.
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Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Norwich City's 3-1 loss vs. Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.
Scotland
- Maurice Edu started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Rangers' 1-0 win vs. Hamilton Academical on Saturday.
- DaMarcus Beasley dressed but did not play in Rangers' 1-0 win vs. Hamilton Academical on Saturday.
- Dominic Cervi dressed but did not play in Celtic's 1-0 win vs. Hibernian on Sunday.
Italy
- Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in AC Milan's 3-2 win vs. Cagliari on Saturday.
Germany
BUNDESLIGA
- Michael Bradley started and played 88 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 2-1 loss vs. VfB Stuttgart on Saturday.
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 0-0 draw vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.
- Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 0-0 draw vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 2-1 loss vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.
- Ricardo Clark dressed but did not play in Eintracht Frankfurt's 3-2 win vs. Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
- Daniel Williams dressed but did not play in SC Freiburg's 1-1 draw vs. VfL Bochum on Saturday.
- Jared Jeffrey did not dress in Mainz 05's 2-0 loss vs. Nurnberg on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern's 2-1 loss vs. RW Oberhausen on Sunday.
- Matt Taylor did not dress in FSV Frankfurt's 2-1 loss vs. Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday.
- David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in TUS Koblenz's 2-1 win vs. SC Paderborn 07 on Sunday.
France
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Stade Rennes' 2-1 loss vs. Lyon on Saturday.
- Charlie Davies did not dress in Sochaux's 0-0 draw vs. Nice on Saturday.
Portugal
- Gale Agbossoumonde did not dress in Sporting Braga's 3-2 win vs. Guimaraes on Friday.
Greece
- Freddy Adu and Aris Salonika did not play this weekend.
- Eddie Johnson and Aris Salonika did not play this weekend.
Denmark
- Benny Feilhaber came off the bench and played 74 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 0-0 draw vs. Randers FC on Sunday.
- Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland's 1-0 loss vs. FC Midtjylland on Thursday. Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play FC Copenhagen on Monday.
- Marcus Tracy did not dress in Aalborg BK's 1-1 draw vs. Sonderjsyke on Friday. He is recovering from a knee injury. Tracy and Aalborg BK play Silkeborg IF on Monday.
- Chris Rolfe came off the bench and played 20 minutes in Aalborg BK's 1-1 draw vs. Sonderjyske on Friday. Rolfe and Aalborg BK play Silkeborg IF on Monday.
Sweden
- Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro BK play AIK on Monday.
Norway
- Clarence Goodson and IK Start play Valerenga on Monday.
- Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Valerenga on Monday.
- Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek play Tromso on Monday.
Mexico
- Jose Francisco Torres started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Pachuca's 2-1 win vs. Indios de Ciudad Juarez on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo did not dress in Tigres UANL's 3-0 win vs. San Luis on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Marco Vidal started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 2-1 loss vs. Pachuca on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez came off the bench, played 45 minutes and scored a GOAL in Puebla's 1-1 draw vs. Morelia on Saturday.
Argentina
- Michael Hoyos did not dress in Estudiantes La Plata's 1-1 draw vs. Banfield on Sunday.
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What do you think of these performances? Impressed by Torres' performance/season? Do you see Spector and West Ham's draw against Everton as the result they needed to gain confidence? Which goal did you like better, Edu's or Gomez's?
Share your thoughts below